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Original poster

why doesn't the gov pay the parents to home educate if they want to?

398 replies

tinselwreath · 26/12/2020 23:01

I just have a question as I'm curious what people think here since there is the obstacle of closing primary schools to keep virus numbers down.

Why doesn't the government offer the pupil funding to the parent instead? This could be completely voluntary but considering there is about £3750 attached to each primary school pupil, they could give this directly to parents at around £300+ per month for each child and not include this in universal credit calculation to make it more lucrative. Plenty of parents would probably choose not to send their children in and it would leave more space for rotas/social distancing for the parents who cannot take the pupil funding option instead. This shouldn't cost anymore money because it is simply taking the money that the school would receive and giving it to the parent.

OP posts:
SueEllenMishke · 27/12/2020 08:45

@ErrolTheDragon

You're right that's what is, unfortunately, what's happening SueEllen - my alternative is what could/should happen. The societal expectation that still persists that women are the default carers, and fathers don't have to do much parenting needs challenging. Coming at the same time as sectors employing more women being devastated is a perfect storm.Sad
Exactly. The impact on women's participation in the labour market is going to be devastating and one way to mitigate some of this is by keeping schools and childcare open.

Even in the most equal households it is women bearing the impact.
My DH more than pulls his weight but he earns double my salary so if it came down to it, I would have to be the one who stopped working. Both working part time wouldn't be an option in terms of the work we do or for financial reasons. I'm seeing this being replicated in many families.

Closing schools ( specifically primary), moving things online and shutting childcare will be a disaster for working women.

Seasaltyhair · 27/12/2020 08:46

This isn’t the only pandemic we have had. The only difference is people have access to online news and social media unlike any other time. We also have sources whipping up people in to a frenzy and sources claiming conspiracy theories leading regular people in to thinking they are specialists in all things covid. In the past we all just got on with it.

This isn’t even the worst one we’ve had.

It’s a really odd time to be alive in.

BelleSausage · 27/12/2020 08:47

@CelestrialWarrior!

Then you need to complain because schools now have a legal duty to provide work. We have been working ourselves to the bone to educate the kids in class, the shielding kids and the self isolating ones all at the same time. Report them to the DfE or Ofsted.

Butstilltheycome · 27/12/2020 08:47

Tbf the cost of a parent providing what some children get in school would be more than £300 a month. Some children who do not have school places do get funding for this but it has to be spent on certain things

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/12/2020 08:49

Your comment about the money following the child in the US is cherry picking the tiny, minuscule good bit, which goes in favour of the working class and ignoring the rest. People with no health insurance literally died of covid over there at the start of the pandemic because they had no access ambulances. Then the state stepped in.

I really don’t think we should be modelling the US.

SueEllenMishke · 27/12/2020 08:51

There is a middle ground here somewhere. The data is clear that infections are out of control in schools, especially with the new strain. If we don’t close schools then we will have to keep everything else closed for months.

Not in all schools. Our primary school has had 3 confirmed cases since reopening fully in September- and we live in an area that, until recently, was considered a hotspot ( nr Manchester)

What is more permanently damaging to kids? A few months of blended learning or massive economic depression, jobless parents and poverty?

But you're assuming children can participate in blended learning. Not everyone has the equipment at home and I can't supervise a 6 yr old's online learning while working at the same time time. It's impossible.

The government need to offer help to working parents. Because just keeping schools open is no longer a viable option without totally ruining the economy AND leading to a higher death rate.

Yes , the government needs to offer more support to working parents but I don't think all schools should shut. Not all schools have high rates of infection.

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/12/2020 08:53

I think you’re missing the point op. The state and schools have a legal requirement to educate children. Neither has a legal requirement to provide childcare. Online teaching is schooling, even if less than ideal.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 08:54

@nogooddeedgoesunpunished

That's already what we get...? Nobody comes to our house anymore because of covid, unfortunately. We used to have nursery places, but I got a call that they wouldn't be able to provide the support and I didn't want to fight a school to take my kids since it felt like they were unwanted. I try my best to do it all myself without support.

@Butstilltheycome
We have EHCPs but we are still being considered for a place for next year and I have no idea what to do or how to argue any of this. We have had no schooling since March. I don't even know how much the EHCPs are worth. The whole process for us started in late 2019 so its been really unfortunate timing. I receive carers so I consider myself as "WFH" lol. I think it would be horrific if I had to balance education at home and work. It would be impossible.

OP posts:
Preparedtobetoldimwrong · 27/12/2020 08:56

OP, the majority of people here disagree with you and have pointed out the flaws in your idea but you seem determined to persist with it. 10/10 for tenacity. Are you a member of the Government?

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 27/12/2020 08:57

[quote tinselwreath]@AIMD

Thanks. Yeah, those are the problems I see for women in general and parents of SEN. The funding following the child is something I heard about in a documentary from America. I think it was a political thing at one point. It may be the government needs to be pushed to increase funding overall. I just don't know how parents (primarily mothers) will be able to handle the types of lockdowns that people are suggesting and keep their jobs. I'm sure lots of companies will find ways to force them out.[/quote]
Coming from America - even more convinced this is a bad idea now

BelleSausage · 27/12/2020 08:57

@SueEllenMishke

Look, I don’t want to be cruel but have you considered the impact of keeping kids at school is currently being bourne entirely by childless people in their 20s and 30s who have lost jobs and are now struggling alone in Tier 4 lockdowns.

As I said before. There must be a more balanced way. The government needs to come up with a solution that doesn’t require keeping every other sector shut at the cost of thousands of jobs.

TroubadorinTrouble · 27/12/2020 08:58

Yeah, because teaching is dead easy. Anyone can do it if the government slips them a bit of cash.

BerylReader · 27/12/2020 08:59

I think teachers would be pretty happy not to do all the preparation, lesson planning, resources, assessments etc for homeschooling. Parents will do all that won’t they? 🙄

Seasaltyhair · 27/12/2020 09:01

There is a middle ground here somewhere. The data is clear that infections are out of control in schools, especially with the new strain. If we don’t close schools then we will have to keep everything else closed for months

Our school has had two confirmed cases since September and both of those were in school holidays. We’ve been we had a a case whilst in school. Town centre school in Manchester.

This is what I mean by people thinking they are experts reading online sources and ‘data’ which sends them in to a frenzy.

palmstar · 27/12/2020 09:03

Let's change the analogy.
If I my decide to nurse my child at home instead of DC going into hospital or seeing the doctor can I be paid a cash sum? Or what about if I burn or bury all my own trash instead of the refuse trucks collecting it can I please have £10 a week? And the optician, if I test my own eyes can I please have £7:50.

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 27/12/2020 09:03

"That's already what we get...? Nobody comes to our house anymore because of covid, unfortunately. We used to have nursery places, but I got a call that they wouldn't be able to provide the support and I didn't want to fight a school to take my kids since it felt like they were unwanted. I try my best to do it all myself without support."

Using this as a reason to change the model completely for everyone isn't a good idea. "You" gave up as you couldn't be bothered to fight as you felt your children where unwanted.

This isn't about YOU, it's a global
Pandemic and we are all suffering in some way or another.!

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 09:03

@Preparedtobetoldimwrong

I just enjoy the discussion. If people don't agree with me that's honestly fine, I'm just using the debate to help pass the time. It's nothing personal.

@Mummyoflittledragon

There's no online schooling that works for the kind of SEN my children have.

@TroubadorinTrouble

I already do it. I just don't get paid for it.

OP posts:
knackersknockersknickers · 27/12/2020 09:06

Hmm, just musing, I know fuck all about anything economic or schools, but I do have primary aged children - my worry would be that women would be more encouraged to leave work or not take up work opportunities and home educate so being further tied. It feels a step back for women's rights to me, and more towards individual responsibility and less about collective societal support.

I would prefer a model whereby schools reduce numbers, perhaps part time in-house teaching and the emphasis is on both parents taking a collective responsibility to home education. Like I say I have no idea how this would be work but it would require targets and tax savings /grants from central government.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 09:06

@iamusuallybeingunreasonable

Would you still send your child to a school that did not want them? Why should I fight to send them somewhere that told me they would be unsupported?

OP posts:
iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 27/12/2020 09:07

Also, just because you wish to become a self providing (but not self funding) island, most people prefer to live in an actual society

FamilyOfAliens · 27/12/2020 09:07

You seem to have been up all night, OP, and you say you have nursery aged children with SEN.

I strongly recommend you get some sleep now.

dealornodealer · 27/12/2020 09:07

If you think this is a good idea you shouldn't be home schooling your children. There are so many problems with it I don't know where to start.

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 27/12/2020 09:08

[quote tinselwreath]@iamusuallybeingunreasonable

Would you still send your child to a school that did not want them? Why should I fight to send them somewhere that told me they would be unsupported?[/quote]
I think this is more about how you feel than what the school can provide right now, it's called perspective

BelleSausage · 27/12/2020 09:08

@SueEllenMishke

  1. Your primary has low number FOR NOW. And you also don’t know how many asymptomatic cases there are.
  2. Blended learning is one week in and one week out (with work set for the week out). Why couldn’t kids access that? It requires no computers. And vulnerable kids and kids with additional needs are provided spaces in school.
  3. The government are the ones who are driving this. Where are the campaigns for all the working parents of Hull and Manchester who couldn’t work because their schools were shut through infection and couldn’t work.

Just so long as the leafy suburbs are okay there won’t be anything done.

As I said, keeping schools open as a priority means nothing else can open. It is quite an entitled take to suggest that the people in affected sectors lose their jobs and the childless remain sequestered at home so that WFH parents don’t have to deal at all with blended learning.

My sister has lost two jobs this year and is about to lose her house. She works in the hospitality sector.

SueEllenMishke · 27/12/2020 09:09

[quote BelleSausage]@SueEllenMishke

Look, I don’t want to be cruel but have you considered the impact of keeping kids at school is currently being bourne entirely by childless people in their 20s and 30s who have lost jobs and are now struggling alone in Tier 4 lockdowns.

As I said before. There must be a more balanced way. The government needs to come up with a solution that doesn’t require keeping every other sector shut at the cost of thousands of jobs.[/quote]
Have you considered the impact of closing schools on young people that are already disadvantaged, live in households where there is abuse and school is their safe, warm place where they get fed?

Look, I live in an area that has had 2 weeks out of lockdown since March - just 2 weeks where we could see family and friends. The rate of infections in my immediate area has been well below the national average throughout- in a population of nearly10k we had just 3 confirmed cases in the last week. Yet all our pubs and restaurants are closed ( have been for months) and many won't reopen and now there's talk of closing schools. How is that fair?